ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT: Senate calls for more Gore

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By Tom LoBianco

Senate calls for more Gore

Former Vice President Al Gore returns to Capitol Hill Wednesday to testify before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Sen. John Kerry, who chairs the committee, had kind words for his fellow former Democratic presidential nominee: "Al Gore has been sounding the alarm on climate change for over three decades, and he understands the urgent need for American engagement and leadership on this issue."

Mr. Gore, who has opted to stay in private life rather than return with the Democratic administration, still has easy access with President Obama's team.

Shortly before taking office, Mr. Obama and Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. held a closed-door meeting with Mr. Gore to discuss climate change and national energy priorities.

Among the books not likely to be discussed at the hearing: "Climate of Extremes: Global Warming Science They Don't Want You to Know," written by the recently ousted Virginia state climatologist and longtime global-warming skeptic Patrick J. Michaels and published by the Libertarian think tank the Cato Institute

No congressman left behind

Arizona Republican Rep. John Shadegg, long an informal educator on the benefits - and physics - of hydroelectric power, said Thursday he often has resorted to third-grade textbooks to enlighten his colleagues.

Rep. Lee Terry questioned whether Mr. Shadegg was setting the bar too high.

"Next time, don't use such advanced texts," the Nebraska Republican advised.